Ironing machine clutch mechanism



June 13, 1950 w. H. BRADLEY IRONING MACHINE CLUTCH MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1946 LIII I!! ll ll f 19am),

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. H. BRADLEY IRONING MACHINE CLUTCH MECHANISM June 13, 1950 Filed Jan. 23, 1946 June 13, 1950 w. H. BRADLEY 2,511,322

IRONING MACHINE CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 13, 1950 IRONING MACHINE CLUTCH MECHANISM William H. Bradley, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Horton Manufacturing Company,

Fort

Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application January 23, 1946, Serial No. 642,872

2 Claims.

The invention relates generally to ironing machines and more particularly to an ironing machine comprising a pair of ironing elements with one element shiftable toward and from the other by a power drive, such a machine being shown in my copending application Serial No. 540,672, filed June 16, 1944, now Patent No. 2,446,789.

The general object of the invention is to provide an ironing machine of the foregoing character, having novel means for connecting the power drive to the mechanism for shifting the shiftable element, said means being connectible at the will of the operator andautomatically disconnected at the conclusion of the movement of the shiftable element in one direction, the d.is connection being such that the engageable parts are widely separated so that no clicking of such parts occurs and the machine thus operates quietly.

Another object is to provide an ironing machine of the foregoing character, in which the means for connecting the power drive to the shifting mechanism for the shiftable element includes a member engageable with the drive and adapted to be automatically disengaged sufficiently to disconnect the drive, said member when the driving load is so released being movable by gravity to a position widely separated from the drive.

A further object is to provide a novel ironing machine of the foregoing character, in which. the means for connecting the power drive to the shifting mechanism for the shiftable element is of simple and inexpensive construction and operates smoothly and effectively.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the "accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of an ironing machine embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view partially broken away to show a portion of the mechanism for shifting the shoe toward and from the roll.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of said mechanism and showing the parts thereof in various positions.

While the present invention may be embodied in an ironing machine comprising a pair of ironing elements such as a roll and a shoe with either of the elements shiftable toward and from the other by a power drive, the machine shown herein is of. the character disclosed in said copending application, in which the shoe is shiftable toward and from the roll. The machine shown herein. as well as in said copending application, comprises a base I'll adapted to rest on a table or the like. Extending upwardly from one end of the base is a support structure I l carrying an electric motor and gearing for driving the roll, indicated at '12, and for shifting the shoe, indicated at l3. In the present instance, the motor is mounted within the supporting structure II and is provided with a shaft (see Fig. 1) Id. The shaft I4 is connected with the roll l2 by means of gearing including a clutch for starting and stopping the rotation of the roll. In the present instance, such gearing includes a gear l5 meshing with a pinion 16 on the motor shaft 14. A roll clutch is provided to connect a pinion i1 with the gear IS, the pinion l1 meshing with .a gear 25 mounted on a shaft for rotating the roll l2.

As mentioned above, mechanism for shifting the shoe l3 toward and from the roll is also driven from the motor shaft l4. To this end, the motor shaft M, which is horizontal, is provided with a pinion meshing with a clutch gear 2! loosely carried on a shaft 22. Also mounted on the shaft 22 and rotating with the gear 2| is a pcripherally notched or toothed member 23. The toothed member 23 is adapted to be intermittently connected, under the control of the operator, to a, clutch plate 24 rotatable with a pinion which meshes with a cam gear 25 (see Fig. 1). Rotating with the cam gear 25 is a cam 26 for actuating a cam follower or lever 21. In the present instance, the gear ratio between the gear 2| and the gear 25 is such that the gear 2-! makes one revolution for each one eighth revolution of the gear 25, the cam 26 having four lobes. The cam lever 21 is connected to an intermediate lever 38 secured to a rockshaft 3|. Also'connected to the rockshaft 3| is a lever 32 connected by a link 33 to an elongated lever 34 extending into the base ll] of the machine. The elongated lever 34 is connected to a horizontally extending rockshaft 35 carrying an arm structure indicated generally at 36 for shifting the shoe l3 toward and from the roll.

The present invention relates to clutch means for connecting the toothed member 23 to the clutch plate 24. This clutch means is under the control of the operator and comprises generally a finger carried by the clutch plate '24 and having a tooth adapted to engage the toothed member 23. The clutch finger is of such character that it utilizes a spring to cause engagement thereof with the toothed member 23, but is normally held out of such engagement by a disengaging member 40 controlled by the operator. The disengaging member 40 engages the clutch finger and, as the latter rotates with the clutch plate 24, it is moved out of engagement with the toothed member 23. However, as soon as the clutch finger is disengaged from the toothed member 23, rotation of the clutch plate stops. The clutch finger is thus apt to be left in a position close to the toothed member 23 where a clicking noise would result between the teeth of the toothed member 23 and the tooth on the clutch finger.

With the present construction, such clicking is avoided by making the clutch finger of a two-part construction with one part provided with the tooth engageable with the toothed member and adapted to shift by gravity relative to the other part to effect a wide separation between the tooth on the finger part and-the toothed member 23. The gearing ratio is such that the clutch plate 24 rotates through one revolution for each shift of movement of the shoe toward or from the roll, and when the clutch finger is in the disenga ing position it extends below the toothed member 23 so that gravity will tend to move the toothed part of the clutch finger away from the toothed member 23. The toothed part of the clutch finger is connected to the other part thereof for limited movement, such limitation being effected by means of a lug formed on the end of said other part engaging in an enlarged hole in the toothed part. The trailing end of said other part extends in position to be engaged by the disengaging member 45 and is so arranged that, if for not be effected, the clutch plate may continue to rotate as the trailing end of the finger part moves past the disengaging member so that none of the parts will be broken, as would be the case if a positive stop were provided.

As shown in the drawings, the clutch finger, indicated generally at 4!, comprises a finger part 42 pivotally mounted on a stud 43 (see Figs. 3, 4 and carried by the clutch plate 24. The finger part 42 extends forwardly from the stud 43 and is provided at its leading end with a tooth 44 adapted to engage the toothed member 23. Also mounted on the stud 43 is a second finger part 45 lying in face-to-face relation with the first part 42 and having at one end a lug 46 bent to extend toward the first finger part and into an enlarged hole 4'! therein. The width of the lug 46 is substantially less than the diameter of the hole 4'! so that limited pivotal movement about the stud 43 is permitted between the two finger parts. A torsion spring 55 is mounted on the stud 43 and has one arm connected to the clutch plate 24 and the other arm connected to a trailing end 5| formed on the finger part 45. The torsion spring 50 is so arranged as to tend to swing the finger part 45 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Normally, the trailing end 5| of the finger part 45 engages a surface 52 on the disengaging member 45 to hold the clutch finger out of engagement with the toothed member 23. However, when the disengaging member 40 is moved out of the plane of the trailing end 5i of the clutch member 45, as shown in Fig. 3, the torsion spring causes counterclockwise movement of the finger member 45. Such movement shifts the lug 46 into engagement with the upper side of the hole 4'! to swing the first finger part 42 toward the toothed member 23 and cause engagement of the tooth 44 with said toothed member.

The clutch is thus ,35 any reason disconnection from the drive should engaged, and the finger together with the clutch plate 24 will thereby rotate with the toothed member 23.

The disengaging member 40 is adapted to be released shortly after it has been moved out of the plane of the trailing end 5!, and a spring 53 (see Fig. 2) is provided for shifting the disengaging member 40 back into the plane of the finger part 45. Thus, when the clutch plate 24 and the finger have moved through one revolution, the trailing end 5] will engage the surface 52 on disengaging member 40, as shown in Fig. 4. The surface 52 is positioned to cause a pivotal movement of the finger part 45 in a clockwise direction. Such movement is sufiicient to move the lug 46 to the opposite or lower side of the hole 47 and further to move the first finger part 42 so that the tooth 44 is disengaged from the toothed member 23. The rotation of the clutch plate 24 and the finger relative to the disengaging member 40 when the trailing end 5| engages the surface 52 efiects such movement. However, as soon as the tooth 44 becomes disengaged from the toothed member 23, rotation of the clutch plate 24 and the finger stops.

If the parts were left in such position, as illustrated in Fig. 4, a clicking noise would result each time a tooth on the toothed member 23 passed the tooth 44 of the clutch finger. To avoid this, a wide separation between the tooth 44 and the toothed member 23 may be effected by gravity since the stud 43 and the finger part 42 are so related that gravity will tend to swing the part 42 downwardly. Such downward swinging movement of the finger part 42 is permitted since the hole 47 is larger than the lug 45, and the finger part 42 may thereby swing until the lug 46 engages the upper side of the hole 4?, as shown in Fig. 5. When the finger part 42 swings in this manner, the tooth 44 thereon swings a substantial distance away from the toothed member 23 so that rotation of the latter relative to the finger cannot cause any clicking noise.

It will be noted that this construction provides effective operation of the clutch with parts which are exceedingly simple to manufacture. By utilizing gravity to cause the separation of the finger from the toothed member, the necessity of a spring is eliminated. Both of the finger parts may be made of simple sheet metal stampings, and a simple torsion spring is utilized to efiect engagement of the finger when the drive is desired. By utilizing the trailing end 5! of the clutch finger to efiect disengagement by means of the disengaging member 45, the parts are so arranged that, if the drive should stick in any way, the parts may continue their rotation without causing any breakage thereof.

Iclaim:

1. In an ironing machine clutch, a peripherally notched rotary driving member mounted on a horizontal axis, a rotary driven member coaxial therewith, a clutch finger assembly having a pivotal mounting on said driven member intermediate the ends of the assembly and comprising a pair of parts in face-to-face relation and relatively shiftable on said pivotal mounting, one of said parts having an aperture at its leading end and the other of said parts having a lug on its leading end loosely fitting in said aperture, said one part having a tooth at its leading end adapted to engage said notched member and said other part having a trailing end, spring means tending to swing said other part and thereby swing said one part to effect engagement thereof with said notched member, and a disengaging member shiftable into and out of the path of the trailing end of said other part only without engaging said one part to swing said other part and through said lug to move said one part to disengage it from said notched member, said disengaging member being positioned to effect said disengagement when said one part extends below said notched member whereby said one part will swing downwardly by gravity to the extent permitted by said lug and aperture, when freed from the driving load of said notched member, to effect a wide separation between said tooth and said notched member.

2. In an ironing machine clutch, a peripherally notched rotary driving member mounted on a horizontal axis, a rotary driven member c0- axial therewith, a clutch finger pivotally mounted on said driven member comprising a pair of parts connected for relative shifting movement limited in both directions, one of said parts having a tooth at its leading end adapted to engage said notched member, spring means tending to swing both parts toward said notched member to efi'ect engagement of said one part therewith, the other of said parts having a trailing end extending rearwardly and outwardly from the pivotal mounting thereof, and a disengaging member having a cam surface engageable with said trailing end without engaging said one part and by the limitation of shifting movement between the parts to swing both of said parts sufiiciently to disengage said tooth from the notched member, said cam surface extending generally in the direction of movement of said trailing end so that, in case said driven member continues to rotate, said trailing end may pas by said cam surface, said one part being positioned below said notched member when disengagement takes place so that it may swing by gravity relative to said other part and. thereby effect a wide separation between said notched. member and said tooth.

WILLIAM H. BRADLEY;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the"- file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,782,572 Janda Nov. 25, 1930 1,921,301 Peter et a1. Aug. 8, 1933 2,056,666 Geldhof Oct. 6, 1936 2,090,686 La Rue Aug. 24, 1937 2,136,541 Carson Nov. 15, 1938 2,318,422 Ringer May 4, 1943 2,357,685 Parish Sept. 5, 1944 2,358,824 Peters Sept. 26, 1944 

